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Ch.18 Amino Acids and Proteins
McMurry - Fundamentals of GOB 8th Edition
McMurry8th EditionFundamentals of GOBISBN: 9780134015187Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 18, Problem 33

If the same peptide found in Problem 18.32 is subjected to acid hydrolysis, how many fragments will result? Why?
Ala-Phe-Lys-Cys-Gly-Asp-Arg-Leu-Leu-Phe-Gly-Ala

Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the peptide sequence from Problem 18.32 (not provided here, but you would need to refer to it to proceed). A peptide is a chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds.
Understand that acid hydrolysis breaks peptide bonds, which are the covalent bonds between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of the next amino acid.
Count the number of peptide bonds in the peptide sequence. The number of peptide bonds is equal to the number of amino acids in the peptide minus one.
Realize that during acid hydrolysis, each peptide bond is cleaved, resulting in individual amino acids as fragments. Therefore, the number of fragments will equal the number of amino acids in the peptide.
Conclude that the number of fragments corresponds to the total number of amino acids in the peptide, and this happens because acid hydrolysis completely breaks all peptide bonds.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Acid Hydrolysis

Acid hydrolysis is a chemical reaction where water and an acid are used to break down compounds. In the context of peptides, this process cleaves the peptide bonds between amino acids, resulting in the release of individual amino acids or smaller peptide fragments. Understanding this reaction is crucial for predicting the outcome of peptide fragmentation.
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Peptide Structure

Peptides are short chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. The sequence and number of amino acids determine the peptide's properties and behavior during hydrolysis. Knowing the specific structure of the peptide in question is essential to accurately predict how many fragments will be produced after acid hydrolysis.
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Fragmentation Analysis

Fragmentation analysis involves examining the products formed after a chemical reaction, such as hydrolysis. By analyzing the resulting fragments, one can determine the number of distinct pieces generated from the original peptide. This concept is vital for understanding the implications of the hydrolysis process on the peptide's composition.
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